dead souls, imperial envoy

Chapter 55 The Imperial Envoy (7)
He (speaking while writing) No, I still want to live here for a while.Let's talk about this tomorrow.

Oh why tomorrow?Really, let us go now, Ivan Alexandrovitch!Although there is food, drink, and great respect here, you'd better get out of here, you know: they must have taken you for someone else. ...and the old man will be angry if we waste time like this.Right now, they'll get us some big horses.

Hey okay.You send this letter first and get a travel voucher at the same time.You tell them to get the horse ready.Tell the grooms, I'll give them a ruble each, if they send me like a courier, and they sing! ... (Continue to write) I can imagine that Tulue Picijin would die laughing...

Okay, I'll let the servant here deliver the letter, and I'll pack my luggage, so as not to waste time.

He (continues writing) All right, you go get another candle.

Oh (exits, talking behind the scenes) Hey, man!Take this letter to the post office, tell the postmaster to take it and send it free, and tell him to send at once the best troika for our lord's use.Also remember to tell him: This is a public expense, and our master does not pay for it.You tell him to do it quickly, otherwise, our master will be very angry.Wait a minute, the letter hasn't been written yet.

He (continues to write) I don't know where he lives now——on Post Street, or on Guandou Street?He always loves to move around, and he doesn't pay the rent when he owes it.I'll try my luck and write on Post Street. (Stack paper and write on envelope)

[Osip fetches a candle and enters.Letter from Hlesdakov.At this time, I heard the voice of Del Zimolda: Where are you going, you bearded man!I told you that no one is allowed in. ]
He (handing the letter to Osip) Here, send it.

[Voice of the merchant: Let me in, old man!You can't keep me in, I have business to do.Voice of Del Zimolda: Go, go!No visitors for a while, he is sleeping.The noise increased. ]
What's the matter, Osip?Go and see, what's the noise outside?
O (looks out of the window) Some businessmen want to come in, but the police won't let them in.But these businessmen are waving some papers in their hands and would very much like to come in and meet you.

He (approaching the window) What's your business?
Merchants, we have something to see.Please accept our complaint.

Hey let them in, let them in!Let them come.Osip, you say to them: let them in.

[Exit Ossip]
He (takes the certificate from the window, opens one, and begins to read) "The businessman Abdulin presents to Mr. Finance Mr. Your Excellency..." Hell, who knows what he said on it!

▲The tenth game
[Hles Dakov and the merchants, with a basket of wine and a few pieces of sugar]
Hey, what's the matter with you?

Merchants, let us ask your lord to uphold justice.

What's the matter?

The merchants beg your lord to save us, my lord!We are wronged for no reason.

Who made you wronged?

The merchants are the local mayors.Such a mayor has never been seen.It is impossible to describe how angry we are.He imposes such exorbitant taxes that we all hang ourselves!He behaved very badly.Often grabs people by the beard and says: "You Tatar!" That's it!If we disrespect him in any way, we don't say anything when he does it, but we always play by his rules.For example, he often makes some clothes for his wife and young lady to wear, and we have no complaints about these.But these were not enough, he always felt that what was given to him was too little—really, he was like that!As soon as he went to the shop, he took whatever he came across.When I saw a piece of cloth, I said, "This is a very good cloth, take it to my house." We had to send it to him, but a piece of cloth must be at least fifty arshins.

Hey, is there such a thing?This is outrageous, what a hooligan!
Businessmen really do!Such a mayor is really very rare.As soon as we saw him coming, we had to hide everything in the shop.He often doesn’t want to talk about exquisite things, even messy things: there is a kind of black dates that have been stored in barrels for seven years, and even the clerks in my shop don’t want to eat them, but he grabs them by the handful.His name was Anton in Japan, and he had already sent a lot of things over that day, and he would not leave anything behind!But that's still not enough, and there are gifts, he said, and Onufri is also his name day.What is the solution?We only need to give gifts in the days of Onufri.

Hey, it's no different from a robber.

The merchants are yes, yes!If you want to protest, the mayor will send a whole battalion to your house to collect taxes.If you don't do it well, you will even seal the door of your house.He would say: "I don't use corporal punishment on you, and I don't give you torture, but the law doesn't allow it. I can let you drink the northwest wind at any time, and understand what will happen if you offend me."

What an asshole!You could be sent to Siberia for this kind of thing.

Merchants Whatever you do with him, as long as you keep him away from us we'd be grateful.Don't give up, we have prepared a little gift for you: sugar and wine.

Hey, don't think about it, I don't accept any bribes.Of course, if you can lend me three hundred rubles—that's quite another matter, I can accept loans.

Merchants OK, OK. (quickly takes out the money) Three hundred rubles is really too little!Why don't I get you five hundred.But please do help us.

Hey, this matter is on me.Then I'm not being polite, I'll take all the money.

Merchants (passing the money on a silver platter) Please take the little silver platter too.

He's small silver plate is really good.

Merchants (bowing) Then take the sugar too.

Hey no, no, I don't take any bribes...

Lord O!Can this count as bribery?Take it!Useful on the road.Bring the sugar and the wine!Bring them all!Will be useful in the future.what is that?rope?Get the rope, too—the rope might be useful on the road: when the car breaks down, or something else, you can use the rope to tie it up.

Merchants, you must take care of yourself!If you won't help, we really don't know what to do, we may just kill ourselves.

Don't worry, he will do it!This matter is on me.

[The merchants get off and hear a woman's voice: No, you have to let me in!I will sue you!You push me so hard. ]
Hey, who is this? (approaching the window) What do you want?

[Two female voices: My lord, please!Hear what we have to say. ]
He (towards the window) Let them in.

▲No.11

[Hles Dakov, coppersmith woman and sergeant's wife]
Coppersmith woman (kneeling) My lord, I beg you...

Sergeant's wife, please...

Hey, what are you women doing?
Non-commissioned officer's wife I am Ivanova, the non-commissioned officer's wife.

Coppersmith's woman I am a coppersmith's woman, a local bourgeois, Fevranje Petrova Boschlebkina...

He took his time and said one by one.What's your business?
Coppersmith woman I'm here to sue the mayor!May God punish him severely!Let this bastard himself, his children, his uncles and aunts never have a good life!

What the hell happened?

Coppersmith woman He shaved off my husband's forehead hair and sent him to serve in the army. Actually, according to the regulations, it should not be our turn yet.This person is really bad!My husband is already married, which is not allowed according to the law.

How dare he openly violate the law?
COpperWoman That's what he did, that's what he did, may God punish him!If he has an aunt, let his aunt be abused; if his father, if his father is still alive, let him freeze or choke to death.This nasty guy!The drunken tailor's son should have been sent to the army, but his parents gave him a generous gift; so he sent the son of the merchant's woman Panteleyeva, who gave three Pibu gave it to his wife, so he had to find us.He said, "What is the use of your husband staying at home? He is no longer of use to you." Whether my husband is useful or not, I know for myself, this is my own private matter.He said: "He used to be a thief. Although he doesn't steal now, he still wants to steal. Otherwise, he will be sent as a reserve soldier next year." Isn't this a bully? I can't live without a husband. What to do?I am a weak person, but I am not reconciled.The bastard!Let his whole family never see the light of day!If he has an aunt, let your aunt...

Hey, okay, okay.What about you? (pushes the old woman)
Coppersmith woman (speaking as she walks out) My lord, don't forget!You must have pity on me!
Sergeant's wife, I'm going to sue the mayor...

What is He doing?Why sue him?You keep it short.

Sergeant's wife, he beats up people!
What's the matter?

The non-commissioned officer's wife may have misunderstood!Several women were fighting in the market, and when the police arrived, the women had all left.But they caught me and beat me so badly that I couldn't sit up for two days.

Heh, how could such a thing happen?What to do now?

Sergeant's wife, I naturally have no choice.But if you hit someone, you can't just forget it. If you hit the wrong person, you should ask him to pay a fine.I was beaten for no reason, and I had to admit that I was unlucky, but now I am in desperate need of money.

heh ok, ok!I already know about you, you go!Leave the rest to me. (Several hand-held sticks come in through the window) Who else is there? (approaching the window) Don't look, don't look! (leaves the window) Damn it!Don't put it in again, Osip!

Ao (calling out the window) Everyone go back, go back!I don't have time today, come back tomorrow!

[The door is opened and an unshaven man in a coarse wool coat with a swollen lip and a bandaged cheek tries to squeeze in, with several other figures behind him. ]
O get out!go out!What are you doing here? (Pushes the man's stomach with both hands, pushes him out and closes the door.)
▲No.12

[Khlesdakoff and Maria Antonovna]
Oops!

Why are you so frightened, madam?

No, I'm not afraid.

He (with airs) That's all right, miss, I'm glad you don't take me for that... May I ask, where are you going?
Actually, I don't want to go anywhere.

Hehe, why don't you want to go anywhere?

Ma, I thought, mother came to you...

Hey, you didn't come here, I still want to know why you don't want to go anywhere?
Ma, am I in your way?Are you on urgent business?Sorry, don't bother me, I'm leaving now.

Hey (putting on air) Your charming eyes are more important than business matters... You will not hinder me, not at all, on the contrary, your presence brings me great happiness and joy.

Ma, people from the capital like to talk like this.

Heck, I can't help it with a girl as beautiful as you.Could you please sit down and talk?But you should not sit on a chair, you should sit on the empress' throne.

Ma, I really don't know... I'm leaving soon. (sit down)

Hey, your shawl is so beautiful!

Ma, are you kidding me?You just want to laugh at us country people.

Hey, I really want to be your shawl and hug your white jade neck from time to time.

Oh, I really don't understand what you mean: that turban... the weather is so strange today!
Hey, your lips are so beautiful, better than any weather.

Mary you say such things... I beg you to write me a few verses in the handbook as a memorial.You must write a lot of poems.

He Ji is willing to serve you.What poem would you like me to write?You just ask for it.

Anything,—preferably new.

What a poem!I do know a lot.

Ma, tell me, what poem are you going to write for me?
He need not say more?I know a lot.

Ma I like poetry very much...

I can do any kind of poetry.I could write you this: "Man, always blame God in your worries..." There are other sentences... I can't remember exactly now, but it doesn't matter.I want to give you my heart, my love, when I see you... (moves closer to the chair)

Ma love!No, I don't know love... I never knew love... (moves chair)

Hey why did you move the chair?We'd better sit closer.

Ma (move away) Why do you want to be closer?The same goes for the distance.

He (move closer) Why is it farther away?The same is true for the nearer ones.

Ma (moves away) What is this all about?

Hey (move closer) It's so close, you can think it's far away.How happy I am if I can hold you in my arms.

Ma (looks out the window) What's that?It seems like something is flying by?Is it a crow?Or another kind of bird?
He (kisses her shoulder, looks out of the window) looks like a crow.

Ma (getting up angrily) No, that's too much... How rude! ...

He (stops her) Excuse me, Miss.But there is no way, I do it out of heart, really out of love.

Ma, you take me for a country girl... (trying to get off)
He (continues to stop her) out of sincerity, really out of love.I just made a little joke.Please don't be angry, Maria Antonovna!I am ready to drop on my knees and ask your forgiveness. (Kneel down) Sorry, sorry!You see, I'm on my knees.

▲No.13

[Frontier and Anna Andreevna]
Ann (seeing Hlesdakov kneeling) Oh, that's amazing!

He (stands up) Damn it!
Ann (to her daughter) What's going on?What is this doing?
Mama Ma, I...

Ann go away!Did you hear that?Quick Guan Kai!Do not come here again. (Maria Antonovna tears) I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, but to be honest, I'm surprised.

He (narrator) This woman is also very feminine, and her charm is still there. (quickly kneels down) Madame, you see, I am suffering so much for love.

Ann why are you kneeling?Get up, get up!The floor here is not very clean.

Hey, I want to kneel down, I must kneel down.I want to know, what is my result, is it dead or alive in the end?

Sorry, I didn't understand what you meant.If I'm not mistaken, you're making love to my daughter again.

Hey no, no, I'm in love with you.My life and death are between your thoughts.If you can't satisfy my eternal love, I don't deserve to live any longer.Burning with the flame of love, I propose to you.

Ann But you know: I'm... I'm married, I have a husband.

What does it matter!Love doesn't care about these."The law is condemned," says Karamjean. We can retreat to the springs beneath the shadows... to make love to you, to marry you.

▲No.14

[The character on stage, Maria Antonovna suddenly runs in]
Mama Ma, Papa is calling you... (seeing Khlestakoff kneeling, shouts out) Oh, that's terrible!
Ann what's the matter with you?What's the meaning?Why?So frivolous!Suddenly ran in, like a cat smoked by coal.Did you find something strange?What is on your mind?Really like a 3 year old.They're not all 18-year-old girls anymore, and they don't know how to be more reserved.I don't know when you will be smarter, when you will be able to do something that an educated girl should do; when you will know what the rules are and how to behave politely.

Ma (tears) Mom, I really don't understand...

There is always a draft swirling in your head.And always take the daughters of Ryobukin-Japkin as an example.You learn what they do!You don't have to learn from them.You have other examples to learn from,--with your mother before you.You should follow my example.

He (pulls her daughter's hand) Anna Andreevna, do not object to our happiness, bless our eternal love!

Ann (surprised) So, you love her, right?

He begging for your fulfillment, my life and death are in your hands?
Look, you fool, look, for you, for you, our honored guest kneels on the ground.You come running in suddenly, yelling like a madman.I should not fulfill your good deeds: you do not deserve such happiness.

Ma no, mom, I promise this will never happen again.

▲No.15

[Characters and the mayor]
My Lord Mayor!forgive me!Please forgive me!

What happened?
Didn't the mayor and businessmen come to sue my lord just now?I swear on my reputation that most of what they say is nothing.It is they who often deceive me, and they also like to deceive themselves.The non-commissioned officer's wife said I beat her up for no reason, that's even more nonsense!What nonsense, what nonsense!She beat herself up.

He let the non-commissioned officer's wife talk about it, I won't meddle in these nosy things!

Mayor, don't believe it, don't believe it!They are all liars. . . . the children would not believe their words.They are good liars, and they are famous in this city.As for their fraudulent means, it can be said to be unique in the world.

Ann, do you know how much honor Ivan Alexandrovitch has bestowed upon us?He proposed to our daughter.

Mayor what?What? ... Are you crazy, marriage proposal?My lord, please forgive me, don't be angry.This woman has mental problems and is often confused, just like her mother.

Hey, yes, I really proposed to your daughter. I am in love with your daughter.

My Lord Mayor, are you kidding me, I can't believe it's true!
Ann is talking about this matter very seriously.

Hey, what I said was true, not a joke. ...I love her like crazy.

Mayor I still can't believe it, I don't deserve such an honor.

It's true, I don't know what I'd do if you didn't agree to my marriage with Maria Antonovna...

The mayor is still unbelievable, are you kidding me?grown ups!
An you idiot, how come your head is like a piece of wood!My lord has already said it very clearly, why don't you believe it?
Mayor I can't believe it.

Hey, you just agree, agree!I will do anything for love, I will even do some stupid things: if I shoot myself, I will send you to court.

(End of this chapter)